GAME REPORT

Panionios rallied from a double-digit deficit to stun Akasvayu Girona and hand the Spaniards their first EuroCup loss of the season.

Two days after a hard-fought 76-68 loss in the opening game of this quarter-final match-up, Panionios looked to be heading for defeat again as Akasvayu took control in the second period.

When Fernando San Emeterio sank a two-pointer with 3:56 to go to half-time, Akasvayu had a 13-point lead at 35-22.

Andre Hutson (Panionios)

But from there, Panionios began chipping away going on a 13-4 run to head back into the locker rooms trailing by six at 39-33 as Kennedy Winston ended the half with three straight free throws.

Panagiotis Kafkis split a pair from the charity stripe and Andre Hutson added two more as they got within three at the start of the third period. Akasvayu tried to respond and Marvis Thornton's lay-up made it 43-38 to the visitors, only for Panionios to tie it with a lay-up from Hutson and a three-pointer from Dragan Dojcin.

The two sides battled it out for the rest of the period, but Victor Sada ended the quarter with a pair of free throws that put Akasvayu up 54-51. It was 57-51 on German Gabriel's three-pointer but Panionios again responded with Damir Miljkovic scoring from beyond the arc before Kafkis added another.

They then took the lead 58-57 in spectacular style as Winston scored on an alley-oop from Miljkovic's pass. Miljkovic then dunked and Dojcin added a lay-up as they began to pull clear, and the lead was 10 points when Miljkovic sank a three-pointer with 3:18 to go.

Ariel McDonald cut the gap to eight with a pair of free throws, but Akasvayu got no closer the rest of the way as Panionios pulled further away. Winston finished with 20 points and seven rebounds for the victors, with Dojcin adding 18, Hutson 15 and Miljkovic 14.